Can tapping device



June 4, 1963 G. E. FRANCK CAN TAPPING DEVICE Filed Oct.

JNVENTOR.

Ytainer.

United States Patent O 3,092,291 CAPI TAPPING DEVICE George E. Franck, Morton Grove, lll., assigner to Imperial-Eastman Corporation, a corporation o Illinois Filed Oct. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 63,998 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-83) This invention relates to tapping devices and in particular to devices for tapping cans.

A conventional container for holding iluids under pressure comprises a can having a tapable top portion dened by an opening sealingly closed by a closure member including a transverse wall circumscribed by an upstanding annular wall having an outturned ange defining the upper end of the annular wall. In another conventional construction of such a container, the closure is similarly arranged but further provided with a central upstanding cylindrical boss having a closed upper end centrally of the annular wall. Y

The present invention is concerned with a tapping device arranged to pierce the tapable portion of the con- More specifically, the invention comprehends a tapping device which is arranged for selective tapping of either form of the above described containers.

It is a principal object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a new and improved tapping device.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a tapping device arranged for new and improved selective use with a first container having a tapable portion dened by a.V transverse wall circumscribed by an upstanding annnular wall having an outturned upper end and with a Asecond container having a tapable portion similar to that of the first container and further including an upstanding cylindrical boss having a closed upper end centrally of the annular wall.

A further object is to provide such a tapping device including means selectively limiting the threaded advance of a body member portion of the device to limit the force exerted on the cylindrical boss when the device is utilized with a container provided with such a central 'cylindrical boss.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a tapping device wherein the limiting means comprises a lever movably carried on one element of the tapping device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a tapping device including a connector having a transverse portion, a central threaded opening, and an lannular peripheral depending wall provided with an inturned end ange for hooking under the outturned upper vend of the container, a body member having a cylindrical end flange of the connector hooked under the upper end of the annular wall of the container, a stop on one of the connector and body members, and a lever movably carried on the other of the connector and body member selectively engageable with the stop to limit the threaded advance of the body member through the connector opening to a preselected position wherein the piercing element properly pierces the closed upper end of the cylindrical boss of a container provided with a central cylindrical boss.

Vaxis of the connector.

3,092,291 Patented June 4, 1963 "ice Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical view, partly in diametn'c section and partly in elevation, of a tapping device embodying the invention mounted on a portion of a container provided with an upstanding cylindrical central boss;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical View, partly in diametric section and partly in elevation, illustrating the arrangement of a portion of the tapping device on the container at the completion of a piercing operation;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a Vertical section taken substantially along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical view, partly in diametric section and partly in elevation, of the tapping device as at the completion of a piercing operation with a container having a tapable portion without the central upstanding cylindrical boss.

In the embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, a tapping device generally designated at 10 is shown to comprise a body member 11 movably carried by a connector 12 for reciprocal movement of a piercing element 13 relative to a tapable closure portion 14 of a container 15. Movement of the body member 11 relative to the connector 12 is selectively controlled by a lever 16 cooperating with a stop 17, as best seen in FIG- URES 2 and 4. Alternatively, the lever may be positioned to permit the body member 11 to be moved through the connector more fully, as shown in FIGURE 5, when desired.

More specifically, body member 11 comprises a Y- shaped member having a stem portion 18, a right eX- tension 19, and a left extension 20. A passage 21 eX- tends through the stem portion 18 and left extension 20 for passing uid from container 15 therethrough under the control of a valve 57 carried in the right extension V19. The valve is of conventional construction, includ- ,about its aXis by suitable manipulation of handle 26 secured to the outer end of the valve stem, the valve is selectively moved inwardly or outwardly relative to the ow passage for selective closing and opening thereof. To preclude leakage of the uid along the valve stem 22, an annular seal 27 is disposed concentrically on the valve stem outwardly of the threaded portion 24 and is retained in sealing engagement with the valve stem and the body portion 19 by a suitable nut 28.

Stem portion 13 of the body member is exteriorly threaded at 29 for cooperating engagement with a threaded opening 39 provided in an upstanding portion 31 of a transverse mid-portion 32 of the connector 12. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the upper end of connector portion 31 defines the stop 17. Depending peripherally from the transverse portion 32 are three segmentally annular walls 33 spaced at approximately 90 intervals relative to the Each wall terminates at its lower end in an inturned ange 34.

IThe tubular piercing element 13 comprises a relatively small diameter tubular member having a frusto-conical, tapered lower end for piercing the closure portion 14 of the container. The piercing element extends coaxially through a stepped recess 36 having an upper portion 37 having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of flow passage 21 with which it communicates, and a lower enlarged portion 3S in which an annular sealing washer 39 is retained. The lower end 40 of the recess 30 widens 3 downwardly frusto-conically into an annular planar end surface 41 of the body stem 18.

As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 4, lever 16 defines an adjustable stop cooperating with iixed -stop 17 and comprisesia at bar having an opening 42 through an upper vportion thereof receiving a cylindrical pivot Vportion 43 of a screw l44 threaded to thel body member at the upper end of the stem portion 18. A friction Washer 45 is disposed between the bar 16 andthe body member portion 13 to retain the lever 16 selectively as shown in full lines and in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. To facilitate movement between the two positions'of FIGURE l, the lever may be provided with a struck portion 46 providing facilitated engagement by the users 'lingers As `best seen in FIGURES 1 and 5, when the lever 16 is disposed transversely to the stem portion 18 of the body member, an annular collar 47 provided integrally on the body member portion 18 adjacent the upper end of the threaded portion of the collar 47 from the lowerV surface 41 of the stern 29 thereof is movable into juxtaposition with the stop 17 ofthe connector 12. Alternatively, when the lever 16 is disposed parallel to the stem portion 180i the body member, downward movement of the stem portion through the connector opening 30' is limited bythe engagement of the lower end 48 of the lever 16 with the stop 17. As shown in FIG. l, a pin 57 may be provided on the lbody member to position the lever 16 in the para lel position.

The selective positioning of lever 16 provides an automatic control of the mounting of the device on each of two different types of conventional container closure structures. As shown in FIGURES l through 4, one

`formof container closure structure 14 comprises a cupshaped metal member including a transverse wall portion 49 circumscribed by an upstanding annular Wall 50 having a turned upper end 51 wrapped around an outturned upper end 52 of a neck 53 defining an outlet opening 54 of container 15. The center of the tranverse portion `49 of the closure 14 is delined by an upstanding, annularly corrugated, generally cylindrical boss 55 having a closed upper end 56.

In mounting the tapping'device 10 on the containerY 15 Vto pierce the closure 14, the body member is retrogradedly threaded to Withdraw stem portion 18 suiiiciently to dispose the piercing tip 35 of element -13 above'the level of the inturned iianges 34. This is eiected by the user 'manually grasping the body member 11 and the connector 12 and eiecting the desired relative rotation therebetween. With the piercing element thusly disposed, the connector is then -secured to the container by moving the connector forwardly Vas seen in FIGURE l (downwardly as seen in FIGURE 3) with the flanges 34 hooking under the turned end 51 of the closure 14 secured to the neck'ange 52. With the connector thusly installed on the container outlet, the body member 11 is threadedly rotated through connector opening 30 to the position of FIGURE 1, Whereupon` further forcible threading of the body member through the connector opening causes the piercing element tip 35 to pierce the closure portion 56 as best shown in FIGURE 2. The threaded advancement of the body member is continued until the surface 41 of the body member stem portion l18 engages the cylindrical boss 5S,

' at which time the sealing gasket 39 is forcibly urged into sealing engagement with the closure portion 56 and the Vbody member within the recess 38 `permitting fluid from within container 15 to pass upwardly through the piercing elementand into ow Vpassage 21 for delivery therethrough under the control of valve 577. As shown in FIGURE 2, the threaded'advancement of the body member portion29 through the connector is positively limited by abutment of the lever 16 with the stop 17 of the conthreading of the body member through the connector is (permitted.

Y nector eifectively precluding excessive deformation of the v )cylindrical boss 55 Vas may occur where uncontrolled Vtion 49 of closure 14 thereby eifecting the piercing of the closure portion 49 by the piercing element 13 and the sealing of the closure to the piercing element and body member by the gasket 39.

Upon completion of the removal of the iluid from the container 15, or as desired, the tapping device 10 may be removed by retrogradedly threading the body member upwardly through the connector opening 30 to redispose the piercing element tip 35 above the level of the in-turned anges 34 permitting the tapping device to Vbe moved laterally from the closure outlet reversely to the installation thereon. Thus the tapping device is automatically arranged for installation-on a successive container provided selectively with a closure 14 and a closure 14 by merely suitably positioning the lever 16.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that lit is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the constuction and arrangement may be -made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. For use selectivelyV with a iirst container having a tapable Yportion defined by a transverse wall circumscribed by an upstanding annular wall having an outturned upper end and with a second container having a tapable portion similar to that of the first containerrand further including an upstanding cylindrical boss having a Vclosed upper end centrally of the annular wall, a tapping device comprising: a connector having'a transverse por',-

tion, a central threaded opening, and means'for hooking flow passage ltherethrough opening at an inner end co. axially through the inner end of the threaded portion and through an outer portion of the body member; a tubular piercing element extending coaxially from the inner end of said ow passage for forcibly piercing'the tapable portion of the container as a result of a threaded advancement ofthe body member through said opening with said hooking means 4of the Vconnector hooked under the upper end of the annular wall of the container; a stop on one of said connector and body member; and `a leverV movably carried on the other of said connector and body member selectively engageable with said stop to limit the threaded advance of Ithe body member through the connector opening to a preselected position wherein the piercing element pierces the closed upper end ofthe cylindrical boss of a second container.

2. The tapping device of claim l-awherein said body member comprises a Y-shaped member and the lever is mounted on the body member for pivotal movement parala closed upper end centrallyrof theannular wall, a tapping device comprising: aV connector having a transverse portion, a central threaded opening, and a peripheral depending wall provided with an inturned end ange for hooking under the outturned upper end of a container; a body member having a cylindrical, threaded portion threadedly engaging the connector in said opening for axial movement as a result of rotation therein, said threaded portion having an inner end, said body member further having a flow passage therethrough opening at an inner end coaxially through the inner end ofthe threaded portion and at an outer end of the body member; a tubular piercing element extending coaxially from the inner end of said ow passage for forcible piercing of the tapable portion of the container as a result of a threaded advancement of the body member through said opening with said end ange of the connector hooked under the upper end of the annular Wall ofthe container; a stop on one of said connector and body member; a lever movable carried on the other of said connector and body member selectively engageable with said stop to limit the threaded advance of the body member through the connector opening to a preselected position wherein the piercing element pierces the closed upper end of the cylindrical boss of a second container; a valve in the body member for controlling fluid ow through said ow passage; and a gasket circumjacent said piercing element for sealingly engaging the tapable portion of the container and the body member when the piercing element pierces the ta-pable portion.

4. -For use selectively with a rst container having a tapable portion defined by a ltransverse Wall circumscribed by an upstanding annular wall having an outturned upper end and with a second container having a tapable portion similar to that of the rst container and further including an upstanding cylindrical boss having a closed upper end centrally of the annular Wall, a tapping device comprising: a connector having a transverse portion, a central threaded opening, and means for hooking under the outturned upper end of a container; a body member having a cylindrical, threaded portion threadedly engaging the connector in said opening for axial movement as a result of rotation therein, said threaded portion having an inner end, said body member further having a ow passage therethrough opening at an inner end coaxially through the inner end of the threaded portion yand through an outer portion of the body member, and a collar on the body member outwardly of the threaded end; a tubular piercing element extending coaxially from the inner end of said ow passage for forcibly piercing the tapable portion of the container as a result oi a threaded advancement of the body member through said opening with said hooking means of the connector hooked under the upper end of the annular wall of the container; a stop on said connector confronting the collar on the body member; and a lever movably carried on the body member having a distal end selectively positionable laterally outwardly of said threaded portion to engage said stop to limit the threaded advance of the body member through the connector opening to a preselected position wherein the piercing element properly pierces the closed upper end of the cylindrical boss of a second container, said stop extending beyond the collar when so positioned a distance substantially equal to the height of the cylindrical boss.

5. A tapping device comprising: a body member; a piercing element on the body member; means adjustably on the body member for connecting the body member selectively to different containers with the piercing element disposed selectively in inner and outer piercing positions corresponding to the requirements of the different containers; and releasable stop means on the body member and connecting means co-operating to limit the positioning of the piercing element to the outer one of said piercing positions, said stop means effectively precluding the engagement of said piercing element with the container when the container is one requiring the disposition of said piercing element 'in the inner position to pierce the same and the stop means is arranged to limit the piercing element to the outer one of said piercing positions and permitting the piercing thereof when the stop means is arranged to permit the piercing element to be disposed in the inner one of said piercing positions.

6. A tapping device comprising: a body member; a piercing element on the body member; means adjustably on the body member for connecting the body member selectively to different containers with the piercing element disposed selectively in inner and outer piercing positions corresponding to the requirements of the different containers; releasable stop means on the body member and connecting means co-operating to limit the positioning of the piercing element to the outer one of said piercing positions, said stop means effectively precluding the engagement of said piercing element with the container when the container is one requiring the disposition of said piercing element in the inner position to pierce the same and the stop means is arranged to limit the piercing element to the outer one of said piercing positions and permitting the piercing thereof when the stop means is arranged to permit the piercing element to be disposed in the inner one of said piercing positions; and a friction device cooperating with said stop means for retaining said stop means selectively in the disposition wherein it is arranged -to limit the piercing element to the other one of said piercing positions and in the disposition wherein it is arranged to permit the piercing element to be disposed in the inner one of said piercing positions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

5. A TAPPING DEVICE COMPRISING: A BODY MEMBER; A PIERCING ELEMENT ON THE BODY MEMBER; MEANS ADJUSTABLY ON THE BODY MEMBER FOR CONNECTING THE BODY MEMBER SELECTIVELY TO DIFFERENT CONTAINERS WITH THE PIERCING ELEMENT DISPOSED SELECTIVELY IN INNER AND OUTER PIERCING POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DIFFERENT CONTAINERS; AND RELEASABLE STOP MEANS ON THE BODY MEMBER AND CONNECTING MEANS CO-OPERATING TO LIMIT THE POSITIONING OF THE PIERCING ELEMENT TO THE OUTER ONE OF SAID PIERCING POSITIONS, SAID STOP MEANS EFFECTIVELY PRECLUDING THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID PIERCING ELEMENT WITH THE CONTAINER WHEN THE CONTAINER IS ONE REQUIRING THE DISPOSITION OF SAID PIERCING ELEMENT IN THE INNER POSITION TO PIERCE THE SAME AND THE STOP MEANS IS ARRANGED TO LIMIT THE PIERCING ELEMENT TO THE OUTER OF SAID PIERCING POSITIONS AND PERMITTING THE PIERCING THEREOF WHEN THE STOP MEANS IS ARRANGED TO PERMIT THE PIERCING ELEMENT TO BE DISPOSED IN THE INNER ONE OF SAID PIERCING POSITIONS. 